Roulette Wheel Layouts

Written by Seth Cotterell

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the history of gambling. It has its own subculture of devoted professional gamblers and devoted enthusiasts. It conveys a certain sophistication and class that few other casino games can match.

It is not just the style of the game that appeals to gamblers. If it was not one of the most winnable, it would not be nearly so popular. Roulette has some of the best odds of any game in the casino. It has much, much better odds than games like Let it Ride or Keno, and only games like Blackjack can even come close to equaling it.

The Classic Roulette Wheel Layout

A close look at a Roulette wheel shows why its odds are more balanced. The wheel itself is a precision piece of equipment designed with mathematical balance in mind. Not only are the colors black and red evenly spaced about the wheel, but the numbers are balanced as well. High, low, even, and odd numbers are spread about in a manner to create the greatest possible balance. The 0 slot is bordered by two black pockets, with alternating colors radiating out from there, ending in the 00 slot directly opposite, which is bordered by two red pockets. This allows for the most even distribution of colors and the numbers one through 35.

What I have just described is the layout of the standard American Roulette wheel. The European wheel is slightly different. It lacks the 00 pocket of the American version. It too has 36 numbers, one through 35. Without the 00 slot, the European wheel has slightly different odds than the American wheel, and this is something to keep in mind while you're playing.